Real Housewives of New York

Two things I never thought I’d say: First, I am totally digging the insanity occurring on this season’s Real Housewives of New York. Second, Jules Wainstein is growing on me, and dare I say, she makes a lot of sense?!? Crazy, I know. The ladies of Manhattan have always been entertaining to me in a boring sort of way, but the drama Dorinda Medley and her oily beau John are facing with friends Bethenny Frankel and Ramona Singer is making it some must-watch television.

To me, Jules is like a younger, skinnier (who knew that was possible?) Carole Radziwill. While she may be a bit flighty and clearly lacks a tad bit of self-awareness, Jules is trying to stay above the fray while voicing her opinions. After this week’s episode, Jules is dishing on that terribly awkward dry cleaning soiree, the painfully uncomfortable nanny interview, and Sonja Morgan’s tipsy attempts to pay the bills which caused Bethenny to unleash a ruthless smack down.

Sonja starts off defending that her birthday party was not a product launch. “I did not have press at my birthday party. It wasn’t a business event. It wasn’t a charity or a typical Sonja In the City event with wall-to-wall professional cameras. I sent out no press invites. It was not a launch. It was just personal friends coming together to celebrate with Marco Maranghello and me. Thanks Ramona for not letting Bethenny know that.”

Oh Ramona – there really is no defending your actions. Not the way you behaved at Dorinda and John’s party – the one you weren’t invited to, but certainly made sure to get thrown out of. Nor the way you savaged your supposed friend SonjaMorgan. Nor the vulgar comments you made about Luann in order to make her look bad, and the desperate way you glommed onto creepster Rey in the hopes of unearthing more salacious gossip. Dorinda said Ramona needs a hobby and a life. So Ramona got active – on Twitter.

Last night’s sit down between Bethenny Frankel and Sonja Morgan was hard to watch. It was hard to watch Sonja cry, it was hard to watch Bethenny give it to her straight, but it was needed. I hope Sonja appreciates that Bethenny is always going to be blunt with her and sometimes give her the reality smack that she needs.

Bethenny reflected on her business journey in her Real Housewives of New Yorkblog this week. “Oh what a tangled web we weave. It was crazy to watch the evolution of my hustle from a CT supermarket to Union Square. The stakes are way higher, but the hustle is the same. Business is tough. I love what I do, and I am 100% invested, and it is my mission to help and inspire female entrepreneurs. This entails being honest about what it takes. Even now I struggle to make things work, and I have drive and determination, and I’m completely committed.”

I was clearly in the minority, but I appreciated Kristen Taekman for representing the ‘normal girl’ perspective on Real Housewives Of New York. It turns out, Kristen agrees she was way too sane for that Turtle Timey mess!

Is it me or are things on Real Housewives Of New York just straight up mean this season?! If it isn’t raining men in NYC, it’s raining bitches – and everyone is getting drenched!

At least things start out positively. Moving into the fifth floor of Manor Morgan is Luann de Lesseps. The heater may not work but at least there’s a hot plate.

While Luann lounges on a bed still bearing the trappings of 1992 bourgeois stylings, she wonders if her hostess with the mostess loose ends, Sonja Morgan, has told Bethenny Frankel about the Tipsy Girl unveiling. Sonja shrugs off the potential snafu. She ain’t scairt of Bethenny. The well of booze has a deep trough, and Tipsy Girl is but a little drop, all of it likely going down Sonja’s gullet. After all, there was once a Skinny Bitch, then along came a Skinnygirl, and that little low-fat piggy went on reality TV and squealed all the way to the bank.

I don’t know if it was just my mood or what, but tonight’s episode of Watch What Happens Live was the funnest and funniest in a long time! Andy’s guests were Luann de Lesseps and Housewives Superfan Michael Rapaport (yes, that’s his official title now) and they were hilarious together. Both of them were there to have fun and not be too serious and it was a good time.

Andy starts off the night by bringing up Luann’ssurprise birthday party last night – which Ramona Singer was uninvited to! Ramona took to Snapchat to vent about it and Andy played the video for her. Ramona says that Lu’s fiance called her at the last minute and “dis-invited” her because of rain and Ramona says there’s no rain in HER apartment and it’s big enough for a party. Luann laughs at the video.

Luann de Lesseps is crazy, happy in love after a whirlwind romance to Tom d’Agostino Jr. and the Countess is about to shed her title for a New Year’s Wedding complete with 3 dresses (and how many Bravo cameras, again?!).